Breville Dual Boiler Low Pressure on Shots
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Strobes47+
- Posts: 6
- Joined: 2 years ago
Hello!
New here, relatively new to home espresso. I'm on my second machine (not counting the super automatic), and recently upgrade my old GC to a secondhand Breville Dual Boiler. I've been pulling shots for a day or two and noticed that the pressure is always a bit lower than 9 bars. I'm sitting at more like 7.5ish, or thereabouts. Blind basket test (I have a metal one, not the silicon one included with the BDB) puts me at a hair under 9. I've read that a blind basket normally will leave readings at 10.5 bars. With that said, I think my Baratza Vario does need a better calibration. I was producing some fines on my GC so I'd really like to try and do a hyperalignment with it, maybe that will make a difference.
I just bought this thing so I'm really hoping I don't have to replace the pump. I've tried doing the wiggle thing with the portafilter, but haven't done a full cafiza backflush (not sure this is a good idea on a Breville).
Any ideas on how to fix this? Just one other thing to note, I only notice the solenoid "sneeze" after pulling the shot, so this makes me dread that it's a faulty pump.
New here, relatively new to home espresso. I'm on my second machine (not counting the super automatic), and recently upgrade my old GC to a secondhand Breville Dual Boiler. I've been pulling shots for a day or two and noticed that the pressure is always a bit lower than 9 bars. I'm sitting at more like 7.5ish, or thereabouts. Blind basket test (I have a metal one, not the silicon one included with the BDB) puts me at a hair under 9. I've read that a blind basket normally will leave readings at 10.5 bars. With that said, I think my Baratza Vario does need a better calibration. I was producing some fines on my GC so I'd really like to try and do a hyperalignment with it, maybe that will make a difference.
I just bought this thing so I'm really hoping I don't have to replace the pump. I've tried doing the wiggle thing with the portafilter, but haven't done a full cafiza backflush (not sure this is a good idea on a Breville).
Any ideas on how to fix this? Just one other thing to note, I only notice the solenoid "sneeze" after pulling the shot, so this makes me dread that it's a faulty pump.
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luvmy40
- Posts: 1152
- Joined: 4 years ago
A used BDB? The PO may have adjusted the OPV. It's really not necessary, IMHO. At any rate, if you get 9 BAR with a blind filter, you should be able to get 9 bar with a fine enough grind to choke the machine. If you can't grind fine enough to choke or get over 7.5 BAR then your grinder is the problem.
I would open the BDB and see it it still has the OEM OPV. whether is is the original OPV or not, it should be adjustable. Adjust it up to 9.5-10.5 BAR.
I would open the BDB and see it it still has the OEM OPV. whether is is the original OPV or not, it should be adjustable. Adjust it up to 9.5-10.5 BAR.
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cmin
- Posts: 1392
- Joined: 12 years ago
9 bars with blind on a BDB but not pulling = grinder or bad quality/stale beans. BDBs group pressure readings are accurate. So either Vario needs recalibration or your using poor quality beans, 1 or the other (or both). I still have two Varios from 2011, have other grinders, but one is aligned with steel burr and other aligned ceramic. I used that thing for espresso for yeeears single dosed (chute flap flipped), think I always kept it calibrated in 2 range.
What beans/roaster are you using?
As far as back flush not sure why your worried about that? I blank flush after every session, and than about every Sunday I do a flush with some cafiza. And than periodically you'll get the clean me notification, just put some cafiza in basket and let it do its thing (it's like a 300 second or something like that system that will flush and dwell automatically at different timings). Even doing my normal flushing routine and I use chemex filters I cut with circular cutter to fit on top you'd be surprised what comes out after the clean me cycle. I don't descale as I use custom water recipe but even than I'll drain the boilers (920) periodically just to see.
What beans/roaster are you using?
As far as back flush not sure why your worried about that? I blank flush after every session, and than about every Sunday I do a flush with some cafiza. And than periodically you'll get the clean me notification, just put some cafiza in basket and let it do its thing (it's like a 300 second or something like that system that will flush and dwell automatically at different timings). Even doing my normal flushing routine and I use chemex filters I cut with circular cutter to fit on top you'd be surprised what comes out after the clean me cycle. I don't descale as I use custom water recipe but even than I'll drain the boilers (920) periodically just to see.
